Whole Foods, Superfoods, and Kale are Great, But What if You’re On a Tight Budget?

A few months back, I was watching a local news story about obesity and health in children. During the clip, a reporter interviewed a single mom about her own kids and how they tried to stay fit as a family. Her response stuck with me: “I try to keep them healthy,” she said. “I try to shop at Whole Foods when I can, but I just don’t have the money for that.”

My heart sank. Here was a woman who was trying to make ends meet, and she was convinced that she needed to spend gobs of money at an upscale health food store to do the best she could for her kids.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Whole Foods as much as the next amateur foodie. I love their overflowing displays of pristine produce. I also love their incredible selection of cheeses, artisan breads, and fine chocolates when I’m in the mood for something indulgent. And I’m fortunate that once in a while, I can go there and splurge on a few of these items. But you don’t need to spend a fortune on groceries or fitness clubs to practice good health.

There’s nothing wrong with high-end health trends. It’s wonderful and exciting to try new things, sample unfamiliar foods, and freshen up your routine. But these are luxuries, not essentials. They can distract us from the core principles of healthy living, and they can discourage or turn off people who can’t keep up.

So, let’s get back to basics. Here are nine healthy habits that you don’t need to practice to stay in good health. If you enjoy doing these things (and you can afford them), great! They’re terrific practices, and they’re doing wonderful things for your body, inside and out. But if don’t enjoy them (or can’t afford them), you can still lead a perfectly healthy, if slightly less glamorous, life — so don’t feel guilty for a second.

1. You don’t need to buy organic produce. If it’s in your budget, go for it, but if it’s not, don’t fret. The benefits of eating plentiful amounts of vegetables and fruits far outweigh the downsides of pesticide exposure. So make eating more produce, however you can afford it, your number one priority.

2. You don’t need to eat quinoa…or even know how to pronounce it. Brown rice, oats, and other whole grains are less expensive and equally nutritious.

3. You don’t need to drink fresh-pressed juices. Eating veggies and fruits in their whole, unconcentrated form is just as healthy (if not more), and a whole lot cheaper.

4. You don’t need to be a yogi, go to spin class, or run marathons. You don’t need to spend a fortune on a gym membership either. Walking is one of the best forms of exercise. Almost everyone can do it, and it’s fabulously free.

5. You don’t need to sprinkle chia on everything you eat. Chia seeds are packed with good stuff, but you can get fiber and healthy fats from from other, everyday foods.

6. You don’t need to seek out superfoods. As far as I’m concerned, all vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds are superfoods, so if you’re including these foods in your diet regularly, you’re already a super-foodie.

7. You don’t need to binge on kale. Eat your favorite veggies, or whatever’s fresh or on sale at the market. If you prefer spinach, or broccoli, or cauliflower, or green beans, eat those. I love kale, and it’s certainly very nutrient-dense, but so are a lot of other foods.

8. You don’t need to eat only dark chocolate. If you’re a milk chocolate lover, hide in shame no longer. Whatever your favorite treats are, there is room for occasional tastes of them in your diet.

9. You don’t need to buy pricy protein shakes or bars. If you enjoy these products, and they’re not loaded with sugar or other undesirable ingredients, then use them — but you can easily meet your protein needs with whole foods like beans, lentils, chicken, fish, low-fat dairy, and nuts.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Johannah Sakimura

Johannah Sakimura first joined the Everyday Health team as a health editor covering diabetes news. Prior to working at Everyday Health, Johannah served as Editorial Director of Health and Nutrition at Joy Bauer...read more